(FILES) A handout image made available by the National Oceanography Centre on July 24, 2023, shows a carnivorous sponge, Axoniderma mexicana, photographed during a recent expedition to the NE Pacific abyss and found in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), has shown it is not just rich with life -- with one study finding some 5,000 species previously unknown to science -- but also far more complex than previously thought. That raises further questions about controversial proposals, currently being discussed at international talks in Jamaica, to mine the CCZ for the rock-like nodules. The world's oceans are close to becoming too acidic to properly sustain marine life or help stabilise the climate, a new report said on September 23, 2024. The report by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) details nine factors that are crucial for regulating the planet's ability to sustain life. (Photo by Handout / National Oceanography Centre / Smartex project (NERC) / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO /National Oceanography Centre / Smartex project (NERC) " - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS (Photo by HANDOUT/National Oceanography Centre / Smartex project (NERC)/AFP via Getty Images)